Hold My Heart
by Oliviasdreamscape
Summary: What will happen when Walter locks Peter and Olivia in the lab all night to settle their differences? Set in season 3 after "Marionette" but before "6B."


**I see the end sneaking in behind your eyes, saying everything no words could ever do.**  
** Does anybody know how to hold my heart? 'Cause I don't wanna let go." **

**–Sara Bareilles. **

* * *

Olivia couldn't believe that she was still sitting in her stuffy, musky-smelling office in the lab at 8:00 PM on a Friday night. She had even planned on leaving work early to go home and catch up on some much needed relaxation. But no, just as she was about the step through the door, she got a call from Broyles saying she needed to stay late and get all of the paperwork done she'd been neglecting.

And she'd been neglecting it for weeks.

When her normal day usually consisted of narrowly averting death, the last thing she wanted to do was go back to the lab and do paperwork. However, Broyles had been letting it slide far longer than he would any other agent; partially because she was his favorite, and partially because he felt bad for not noticing that she had been stuck in another universe while being impersonated by her doppelganger.

So, she'd reluctantly sauntered back into her office and began to work on her stack—or rather mountain—of files.

When she'd been doing paperwork for about an hour, Peter had come in and asked if he and Walter could help her finish, since they'd worked on most of the cases with her. Usually she would've declined such an offer, but at the rate she was going, she probably would've been in her office all night and into the next day. So, she'd agreed to let them help and handed Peter half of the stack.

But instead of following him and working on the files together, she stayed cooped up in her office like she usually did when Peter was around.

It had been a little over a month since the other Olivia had stolen her life and everything that she loved, including Peter. She had been so immensely hurt that he'd mistaken her alternate for her that ever since she'd gotten back, she'd been completely avoiding him whenever she could, keeping things strictly business between them.

The only problem was that now, weeks later, she was still avoiding him even though she wasn't mad at him anymore. After many sleepless nights, she'd come to realize that he'd made an honest mistake— a mistake that she knew he was sorry for from the bottom of his heart. He, along with all of her friends, had been sucked in by her redheaded double— her fun, outgoing, flirtatious redheaded double, whom was able to lure nearly everything and everyone into her voluptuous manipulations.

Although she wanted so badly to tell Peter that she had forgiven him and was ready to move forward, she'd been sidestepping him for so long that she honestly had no clue what to say, or how to say it. Every time she'd gather up her courage and open her mouth, it was like her mind had forgotten that she spoke English.

But deep down, she knew exactly why words seemed to fail her whenever she'd attempt to confess her true feelings. Would he even still want to be with her, after spending so much time with her beguiling alternate? Would she ever be able to measure up to her? Would she just get her heart broken all over again?

Her heart was already held together by staples and Scotch tape—she didn't know if it'd be able to take another blow. So in order to protect herself, she'd put up brick walls around it to keep out all potential dangers. Including Peter.

A light knock on her open office door woke her out of her clashing daydream, and she looked up to find Peter standing in the entryway.

"Hey, have you finished the paperwork for the Johnson case yet?" He asked.

"No, I haven't. There are a few pages that have been misplaced. I'm sure they'll turn up."

I think these might be them," Peter announced, walking over to where she was seated and handing her a few pieces of paper.

Olivia furrowed her brow as she looked over the pages, her glasses perked on the edge of her nose.

"Yeah, these are the missing pages. Thank you, this is extremely helpful."

"Don't mention it. Anything I can do to help," He smiled.

Olivia smiled back at him, and then he turned and walked out of her office without another word.

Although being around him made her uneasy, she felt a familiar gloomy emptiness envelop her as he walked away. She missed the way he used to hold her gaze just a second longer than a simple friend would, offering her a crooked, playful grin before leaving.

He hadn't looked at her affectionately in weeks— the little twinkle in his eyes that he saved just for her had completely vanished.

And that was what scared her the most.

_FRINGE_

"Peter, I'm going to the vending machine to get some Red Vines," Walter stated as he headed towards the door. "I haven't had any in 3 whole hours."

"Alright Walter, whatever you say. Just don't take any detours because we're almost done with the files and I want to go home."

Walter nodded and scurried out the door, shutting it behind him.

As Peter reviewed the last file in his stack, he couldn't help but steal a glance in the direction of Olivia's office. Usually when they had to stay late at the lab, they'd talk and laugh the entire night away, neither of them realizing how much time had passed.

His heart began its usual ache as he remembered everything they'd gone through together in the last couple of years, and especially in the last few months.

Her crossing universes to bring him back.

Her claiming that he belonged with her.

Him leaving her in an alternate universe and sleeping with her double.

He didn't blame her for still being angry with him a month later, though he desperately yearned for her forgiveness. He was angry with himself, too— probably even more than she was.

Yet, as much as he ached for her to forgive him so they could possibly have a future together, he knew that pressuring her wouldn't do any good. As hard as it was, he had been restraining himself from showing any kind of affection towards her, not wanting to push his luck. One wrong word or look could shatter any progress she was making.

So, until she forgave him, if she ever did, she was his partner and nothing else.

Finally finishing the last of his files, Peter leaned back in his chair as far as he could, his back popping like bubble wrap all the way up his spine. Standing up, he stretched his arms over his head and turned to look at the lab door. Walter had been gone for at least 5 minutes, and the vending machine was less than 6 feet away.

Sighing, Peter walked towards the door to go find his father, but when he tried to turn the doorknob, it wouldn't budge.

"What the…" He muttered to himself, jamming his shoulder into the door in an attempt to make it move to no avail. It was like there was some kind of concrete wall behind it making it impossible to break open.

Confused, Peter took a step back to examine the door when he saw a piece of paper on the ground. He bent down to pick it up, and saw Walter's scribbled handwriting when he turned it over.

Peter,

It's no use trying to leave the lab, for I have surrounded it with pulses of electromagnetic energy, which act as a type of unbreakable force field. It's time for you and Olivia to sort this out, and knowing how stubborn you both are, I thought I'd help you get started.

P.S. Don't worry, I shall come back in the morning and turn off the force field.

P.S.S. I took some money for a cab.

-Walter

Peter read the note once more before crinkling it up and bringing his hands to his hair in frustration.

Suddenly, he remembered his cellphone in his jeans pocket. Pulling it out, he angrily realized that there was no signal in the lab.

Walter had them completely confined.

Olivia was not going to be pleased.

_FRINGE_

Olivia nearly cried out with joy when she finished the last file in her mass of paperwork. Without hesitation, she slid on her coat and practically ran out of her office, more than ready to go home and relax with a glass of Whiskey.

When she stepped into the lab, she saw Peter looking distressed as ever with his hands knotted in his hair. There was no sight of Walter anywhere.

"Is everything alright, Peter?"

Peter turned on his heel and stared at her as if she were a ghost.

"Umm uhh," He stammered, not knowing exactly how to break the news to her. "I umm—I don't think we're going to be leaving the lab tonight."

Olivia gaped at him like he was speaking gibberish. "What are you talking about?"

"Walter has sort of trapped us in here with an invisible force-field," He mumbled, sticking his hands in his pockets nervously. To anyone outside of Fringe Division, he would sound completely insane.

"Is this some kind of joke? Because I'm really not in the mood."

"No, I'm completely serious. Walter said he was going to the vending machine, and when he didn't come back, I went to go check on him and the door wouldn't budge."

"Okay, so how exactly did you come to the conclusion that we are trapped by a force-field?"

Peter chewed his bottom lip, not wanting to show her Walter's note, but knowing he'd have to in order for her to believe him. Hesitantly, he walked over to where she stood and pulled the crinkled piece of paper from his pocket.

As Olivia read the note, she felt her cheeks flush in a mixture of dismay and anger. Walking to the door, she attempted to turn the handle, but just as Peter and the note depicted, it wouldn't budge. Olivia kicked the door furiously and pulled out her cell phone, giving a loud moan of annoyance when she realized she had no signal.

Feeling imprisoned, which Olivia had never handled very well, she hastened down the stairs towards the back windows and pulled out her gun.

"Olivia what are you—" Peter spoke incredulously, getting cut off by the loud bang of her weapon.

"Jesus Olivia, those windows are bulletproof, remember? We had the glass replaced when Walter busted them out with one of his experiments."

Dammit. She'd completely forgotten about that.

Peter watched as she paced around indignantly trying to think of another way out, but coming up with nothing. She slumped into the nearest chair, letting her face fall into her hands in frustration and defeat.

He was going to kill Walter.

"Olivia I—I'm so sorry. I had no idea he was going to do this."

Olivia kept her face in her hands a few seconds longer, then glanced up at Peter. "It's okay, it's not your fault. I was just really looking forward to getting out of here."

"I know. This is probably the last place you want to be."

_Especially here with me_, he thought.

Olivia forced a half smile and turned to look towards the door, desperately attempting to use her reviled Cortexiphan powers to turn off the damned force field. Not even the lights flickered.

Unexpectedly, something vibrant caught her eye next to the stairs. Looking closer, she saw two bright, shiny red sleeping bags rolled up on the floor. This day just kept getting better and better.

Following her gaze, Peter noticed the sleeping bags for the first time and pushed out an annoyed breath.

"He could've at least left a couple cots and a flat screen TV," Peter grunted.

Olivia gave a light laugh; she had forgotten how Peter could always make her smile whenever she was in a bad mood.

Heading towards the fridge, Peter checked to see if Walter had at least left them something to eat. His heart plummeted to the ground when he saw Damiano's, which was where he and Olivia had their first official date before he'd found out he was from the other side.

He'd had her, and he'd lost her.

He wanted to kick himself.

"Hey, Peter?" Olivia questioned quietly from the other side of the room.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I overreacted. I just…"

"You hate feeling trapped."

What? How had he known that?

"Yeah…exactly."

"I know. I'm sure Walter wouldn't have done this if he'd known. Not that it's any excuse for what he did."

Olivia nodded and averted her gaze to the windows above her, watching the stars twinkling in the night sky. As much as she hated to admit it, she was stuck in the lab, and there was no way she was going to get out until the next morning, assuming Walter would keep his word.

It wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the fact that Peter was stuck here with her, and that they both knew this was a plan devised for them to settle their differences. It was like there was a huge white elephant in the room that they were both attempting to ignore.

She knew this would be a perfect opportunity to tell Peter she was no longer angry with him, but she was more nervous and afraid than ever before. If she confessed herself to him and he ended up not wanting to be with her, she'd have nowhere to run. She'd be confined to a room with the man who'd just torn her heart into millions of pieces, too small to ever be put back together. That would just be too much torture for one person to take—even for Olivia Dunham.

As Peter walked towards Olivia, he could visibly see her tense up as he came closer. It made his heart ache even more.

"I'm uhh…I'm gonna set my sleeping bag up out here, I guess. Would you like me to set yours up, too?" He asked.

"No thanks, I can do it. I'm just going to sleep in my office," Olivia announced, standing up from her chair. "I think I'm gonna go to bed now, actually. It's been a long day."

"Oh. Okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The awkwardness in the air was nearly tangible as the white elephant began to dance around the room in a pink tutu.

Olivia bypassed Peter as best she could and grabbed her sleeping bag. It was only a quarter past 9:00, and she honestly wasn't that tired, but she decided the best thing for her to do would be to go back into her stuffy office where she could be alone. If he were to bring up their situation, she honestly had no idea what she would do or say. She just needed to get away from him before—

"Hey, Olivia?" Peter spoke just as she was about to open her office door.

Oh God. He wasn't going to bring it up was he?

"…Yeah?" She retorted weakly, not turning around to face him.

"If you get hungry, there's Damiano's in the fridge."

Olivia took in a sharp breath. Damiano's. Their first real date. The first time they'd held hands. The first time she'd allowed herself to acknowledge that she was in love with him.

Everything had been so promising during that night. Olivia had felt genuine happiness for the first time in years, knowing that this wonderful man wanted to be with her just as much as she wanted to be with him.

Then he'd crossed universes and left her without so much as saying goodbye, breaking her heart in the process. But she'd cared about him too deeply to let him make such a stupid mistake, and had followed after him, risking her life to bring him home. And when she had finally found him, she'd assured him that he belonged with her in her universe, their universe. Which, in her own words, was her declaring that she loved him.

She had never in her life told a man she was in love with him until Peter, but she had known without a fraction of a doubt that what she'd felt was real, and that he felt the same way about her.

And then she was left in the alternate universe, only to come back and find the man that she had fallen for had created a life with her double. Peter had gotten a taste of what it'd be like to be with a version of herself who wasn't so haunted and damaged—why would he ever want someone cracked and broken when he could have someone so shiny and radiant?

"Thank you, Peter," Olivia answered softly, entering her office and letting the door shut with a definitive click.

_FRINGE_

Olivia had been staring at the old analog clock on her wall for hours, which currently read 12:48 AM. She had been trying to sleep for hours, and this time, it wasn't her mind tossing and turning over what to do with her Peter situation that was keeping her up.

It was literally freezing in her office to the point where it was actually painful. Her entire face was numb, and her breath was coming out in little puffs of fog. It was the middle of winter in Boston, and the lab didn't use heat at night since nobody was supposed to be in the building.

She tried everything she could do to warm herself, but with every passing minute, it seemed to get colder and colder, until not even burying herself inside of the sleeping bag was helping. She swore she could feel the onsets of frostbite coming on.

She was absolutely desperate for warmth.

Bracing herself for the cold, she slid out of her sleeping bag, wrapping it around her body and standing up to walk towards the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and walked towards where Peter lied.

"Peter, are you awake?" Olivia whispered in the dark, her voice shaking from the cold.

"Olivia? Is everything okay?" Peter answered quietly.

"Yes, I'm just… I'm freezing. I was wondering if... maybe…" She stammered, not even knowing exactly what she wanted, just that she was overly cold and needed warmth.

In the darkness she could barely make out Peter lifting the edge of his sleeping bag, inviting her to come lay with him inside.

Although every voice in her head screamed for her to run, her primitive instinct knew that she needed to get warm immediately and prevailed every rational thought and emotion she had.

Crouching down, Olivia tossed her sleeping bag over him to act as an additional blanket, and crawled in next to him. As she curled up against his body, she nearly cried out in relief at the heat he radiated.

"Jesus Olivia, you really are freezing," He admonished, rubbing her arm in an attempt to warm her up.

Unlike him, she didn't have one ounce of body fat on her to keep her warm, but he couldn't deny that he was happy to help her out. Just having her in his arms, for whatever reason, made him happier than words could ever express.

"How are you feeling?" He inquired, obviously concerned.

"Much better," Olivia replied, her limbs and face starting to get feeling back.

Around half an hour later, Olivia was completely engulfed in warmth against Peter's body. His hand now rubbed up and down her arm slowly, as if he was half asleep but still subconsciously trying to keep her warm. Closing her eyes against his chest, she breathed him in deeply, nearly tearing up at the memories his smell brought to her mind.

Nobody had ever had this kind of effect on her before—nobody had ever brought tears to her eyes because she missed them so much it was physically painful.

And in that moment, Olivia knew. She knew that if there was even a remote possibility that she still had a chance with him, then she had to take it, even if that meant putting herself at risk for yet another heartbreak. It was time to put her big girl panties on and end this, right here and now, especially if she ever wanted the opportunity to be in his arms ever again. She just couldn't live like this any longer, couldn't stand not knowing if he still cared about her.

Tearing down the walls around her heart, she allowed herself to be truly vulnerable for the very first time.

"I'm not mad at you anymore," Olivia blurted into his chest before her conflicting mind had a chance to talk her out of it. She was both relieved and shocked her brain remembered she spoke English.

He abruptly stopped rubbing her arm, and after a few seconds of silence had passed, Olivia began to feel panicky. Then, she heard a nearly inaudible whisper.

"You're not?"

"No. I haven't been for a long time. I forgave you weeks ago."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because…" Oh God, this was the hard part. "Because…"

Suddenly she felt Peter's fingers under her chin lifting her face to look him in the eyes.

"It's okay. You can tell me," he breathed reassuringly.

And then, she saw it. That special twinkle of affection in his eyes that he saved just for her—that special twinkle she hadn't seen since their first kiss on the other side. It only lasted half a second, and if she hadn't been looking for it she probably would've missed it. But now, she had what she hadn't allowed herself to have this entire month: hope. It was just the incentive she needed to continue.

"Because I have been avoiding you for so long, that I just didn't know what to say."

"How about 'Hey Peter, what's up? By the way, I'm not mad at you anymore. Also, I'll let you drive with the sirens on again if you'd like'."

Olivia laughed. Only Peter could make her giggle when she was pouring her heart out. She felt herself relax a little more.

"I…didn't know if you still had feelings for me anymore. You spent so much time with the other Olivia, who is, to put it simply, better than me. And on top of that, I come back and ignore you for an entire month… I wanted to tell you sooner, I really did, but… I was scared to hear what you'd have to say."

Peter let her words sink in as he searched her gaze, watching myriad emotions swirl through her brilliant peridot eyes.

She had been avoiding him in fear that he wouldn't want to be with her anymore after spending time with her alternate.

She was afraid that he would break her heart.

Again.

Taking her face between his hands, he brought their faces together until they were only an inch apart.

"Olivia…" He began, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. "You are crazy if you think that she is remotely better than you. There is nothing better than you. When I was with her, I noticed differences—lots of them. But, I just overlooked them because I thought that you'd changed because we were together. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life, and if I had to wait to the ends of the Earth for you to forgive me, then I would. But if there is one thing I am certain of, it's that you are the only woman I have ever loved, and that's not going to change. Ever."

Olivia released a breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding in, feeling like the weight of the world had just been lifted off of her shoulders. Peter still wanted her. Peter still loved her. She vaguely felt the need to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Oh Peter," Olivia intoned, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his neck, so overcome with relief and joy. "I thought I'd lost you. I really did."

"You never lost me, Liv. And you never will."

And then his lips were on hers, soft and hesitant at first, but quickly becoming hungry and passionate. One kiss from his Olivia was all it took for Peter to completely forget every other woman he'd ever been with. He belonged with her, and she belonged with him—there was just no other explanation. Never in his life had anything ever felt so _right_. They kissed, entangled in each other, for a few more minutes until they both needed to come up for air.

"I missed you so much," Olivia stated breathlessly, resting her forehead against his.

"I missed you too, more than you could ever imagine."

Peter melted his lips against hers once again, but this time, his kisses were tender and loving, making her head spin with bliss. All too soon, he tore his mouth from hers and tucked her head under his chin.

"Get some sleep, okay? I can tell you're exhausted."

"I don't want to sleep," She breathed, her fingers finding the hem of his shirt and tugging it upwards.

When Peter realized what she was implying, he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Liv…"

"I want you, Peter." No, scratch that. She needed him. She needed to feel him, to taste him, to prove that this wasn't just a dream.

"And you have no idea how badly I want you, but… are you sure about this? Simply holding you in my arms is more than I could ever ask for right now."

Olivia rubbed the tip of her nose along the bridge of his, and then leaned in to give him a light kiss.

"Positive. Besides, can you think of a better way for us to keep warm?" She asked playfully.

"Hmm, you've got a point there," He replied, flipping them over so he was poised overtop of her.

Suddenly it was like the invisible wall between the two of them had entirely disappeared, and all of Peter's reserves came crashing down at once. He couldn't hold back any longer, couldn't resist her one more second.

In the next instant her shirt was off, and he was feathering kisses along her collarbone and chest. Olivia gave a long sigh of pleasure as he began to kiss downwards to her exposed stomach, his fingers trailing along her sides and giving her goosebumps. She reached into the sleeping bag to pull his shirt over his head and toss it aside aimlessly. Then his mouth was pressed to hers again, his tongue slipping through her already swollen lips, ready to explore.

It didn't take long for them to shed the rest of their clothing, throwing various articles around the room and not caring where they landed. They rolled around inside the sleeping back zealously in a fit of hands, tongues, and hair, not able to get enough of each other. Peter kissed every inch of her face as his hands traveled the length of her body, not missing a single curve or crevice as he declared her as his own.

When she began to buck her hips against his, begging for more, he stopped.

"What's wrong," Olivia asked confoundedly.

"This is our first time."

"I know. And I couldn't be happier that it's finally happening," She hummed, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"Neither could I. But, I really want this to be special, Olivia. You mean the world to me—I don't want this to be over in a matter of seconds."

Olivia smiled up at him, astounded at the fact that this incredible man actually believed there was nothing better than her, and pressed her lips to his in a slow, deep kiss. Languidly he lay down on top of her, careful not to crush her with his weight, and continued to move his lips against hers. Olivia closed her eyes as she basked in the feel of his kiss, never wanting him to break contact.

With every brush of his lips, Olivia felt her injured heart begin to heal as he held it protectively in his strong hands; silently promising to never let anything or anyone hurt her ever again. Olivia tightened her hold around him, wishing she could mend him to her body so he could be near her always.

Breaking their kiss, Peter intertwined their fingers and rested his forehead against hers. He had a perfect view of her enchanting chartreuse eyes speckled with flecks of gold, reminding him of a quiet meadow on a sweet, spring afternoon. He committed their lambent hue to memory, taking in every emotion that swirled through them as he gently pushed his full length inside of her, connecting their bodies as one.

Olivia gave a mewl of ecstasy as he entered her, her hands rubbing along the smooth, muscular flesh of his back until they were knotted in his hair. She loved the feel of her bare skin against his, and how their bodies seemed to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.

Peter created a slow rhythm, trailing kisses down her neck until he reached her breast, taking her hardened nipple into his mouth and sucking tenderly. Olivia gave a high-pitched moan, feeling like a firework show was going off inside of her as he stimulated the two most sensitive parts of her body.

Even though he was moving slowly, it didn't take long for Olivia to feel her body tightening like a bowstring gradually getting pulled back as it prepared to release an arrow. As her need for him grew unbearable, she wrapped her legs around his waist and began to quicken the rhythm.

Peter cursed under his breath as he accommodated to her pace, feeling her walls begin to contract against him. She was overflowing with him; his feel, his taste, his smell, his love. She was on sensory overload, and it was only a matter of seconds before she came undone. She cried out against his neck as she shattered, pulling the orgasm right out of him.

Olivia's vision went completely black as they came together, the sense of pleasure so intense that it was almost painful. Electricity jolted through her body, making her want to scream and laugh and cry all at the same time, as she dug her fingernails into Peter's back.

Before he could collapse on her, Peter flipped them over so she was laying flat on top of him. They lied tangled in each other's arms as they came down from their high, doing their best to catch their breaths. After a few minutes, Olivia felt both of their heart rates slow until they were in perfect sync with each other.

"Wow," Olivia muttered, having no other words to describe how absolutely unworldly their first time had been.

"I feel you, sweetheart," Peter breathed as he ran his fingers through her long, silky hair. That had been better than all of his wildest fantasies combined.

"Call me sweetheart one more time. I'd really like that," Olivia grinned.

Peter chuckled as he remembered the first day they'd met. It felt like a lifetime ago after everything they'd gone through together in the last couple of years.

"You know you liked my undeniable charm."

"Not at first. I wanted to punch you in the face. But after spending a few hours with you…" She murmured, tracing the outline of his lips. "I never wanted you to leave."

"And after spending a few hours with you, I never wanted to leave," He stated honestly, placing a long, gentle kiss on her lips.

After they broke the kiss, Olivia nestled herself back into his neck and brought her hand up to play with his ear. Peter leaned into her touch and closed his eyes, wrapping both of his arms around her possessively, so overcome with joy that he'd finally gotten her back.

"Peter?" Olivia whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Peter smiled against her hair, wondering if this night could possibly get any better.

"I love you, too."

It didn't take long before they had both fallen into a blissful, sated sleep.

_FRINGE_

Walter gingerly opened the door to the lab after turning off the electromagnetic pulses, not sure if Peter and Olivia would be on the other side with baseball bats ready to beat him unconscious. Instead, his eyes locked on Peter's boxers, and then on Olivia's pants, and then on…Peter and Olivia cuddled together in a sleeping bag. They were both in what looked like a deep sleep, Olivia lying flush on top of Peter, his lips curled up in a contented smile as he held her against him.

Walter had to bite his lip to keep from shouting out with joy, overly excited that his plan had worked out out even better than expected. Backing up slowly, Walter shut the door, deciding it would be best to just let them wake up on their own.

_FRINGE_

Olivia awoke to eyes as blue as the winter sky gazing up at her, a feeling of content sweeping over her body as she realized she hadn't been dreaming. Peter was here, he was hers, and he loved her—it was hard to wrap her mind around. She felt excited butterflies rouse in her stomach; it'd been a long time since she'd felt this happy.

"Good morning, beautiful," He smiled affectionately, his eyes twinkling just for her and making her heart melt.

"Good morning," She answered, combing her hand through his thick, wiry hair. "What time is it?"

"I'm assuming it's around 6:30 AM, since that's usually about the time you wake up in the morning."

"And how could you possibly know that, Mr. Bishop?"

"Honey, I know lots of your little quirks."

"Like what?"

"Like how you how you always eat one thing before starting the next, or how you refuse to use a shopping cart even if you have to buy a lot of groceries. Or my personal favorite: When you hum along to the radio when it's just you and I in the car."

Olivia couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as she listened to him list off her little habits, flattered that he knew things about her that she didn't even consciously know about herself.

"Well, two can play at this game. I know quite a bit about you, too," She poised.

"Do you now?"

"When you're nervous or in deep thought, you stick your hands in your pockets, and you always check your blind spot and side mirror three times before switching lanes. Or my personal favorite: How you stare at me when you think I'm not looking, but I always know when you're doing it."

"You're just so lovely, I can't help it," He smiled, lightly kissing her forehead.

"I've missed you looking at me like that," She confessed, nearly inaudibly.

Peter tightened his hold around her.

"Well you don't have to worry, because it's going to take all of my willpower to keep my eyes, and my hands, off of you," He grinned, his next sentence becoming more serious. "We are finally together, Liv, and nothing is going to come in the way of that ever again. I won't let it happen."

Olivia smiled warmly and pressed her lips against his firmly, expressing wordlessly that she trusted him with all her heart.

"So, do you think Walter turned off the force-field yet?" Olivia asked against his mouth.

"I'm assuming so. Knowing Walter, he probably got here extra early to avoid us beating him senseless."

"I was thinking that we should let him off the hook this time, considering if it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't be lying naked on top of you right now," She smirked.

"Well when you say it like that, I think he deserves some kind of award."

"Maybe just some Red Vines or a strawberry milkshake."

"Now that I can do," Peter smiled, bringing them up to a sitting position. "We should probably get dressed."

Looking around the room, Olivia could see her pants and bra, but that was it. Memories of the fervent passion they'd experienced just mere hours ago flooded her vision, causing a carnal shiver to shoot up her spine. If they ever wanted to get out of this lab, then she needed to break their intimate contact pronto before her lascivious craving for him took control. As she stood up to search for the rest of her clothes, she felt Peter's piercing carnal gaze burning a hole into her back. It pleased her to know she wasn't the only one experiencing quite wanton desires.

"I can feel you staring at me," She grinned.

"Can you blame me?" Peter simpered, standing up to begin the hunt for his garments.

When they were both dressed, they walked up the stairs and to the lab door which opened easily. Olivia expected herself to be overjoyed at the fact that she was free, but instead, she felt a little sad.

"I presumed you'd run out of the lab without looking back the second the door opened," Peter proclaimed.

"So did I, but…" She turned to look Peter in the eyes, and then averted her gaze to the spot on the tiled floor where they'd made love for the very first time. As much as she'd hated this damn lab less than 12 hours ago, her feelings for the outmoded, cluttered room had taken a complete U-turn. This was the place where she'd finally gathered up enough courage to allow herself to be vulnerable for once in her life. It was the place where that risked vulnerability had allowed her to get back the man she loved, and to realize just how much he reciprocated those feelings towards her. In a matter of hours, this once despised room had become a place of firsts and triumphs, and a place she'd forever cherish.

Peter grinned lovingly, reading her mind like an open book, and wrapped his arms around her waist. The lab had grown on him as well, and would eternally hold a special place in his heart, but he couldn't wait to venture out and tackle this journey of a life with her by his side. There was no doubt in his mind that their future held endless treasures that were just waiting to be discovered.

"I'll tell you what. How about we both go home and get cleaned up, and in, let's say, an hour and a half, I will come pick you up and take you to breakfast. Then after that we can spend all day and night together, then the next morning and day and night, then we can just repeat that process for the rest of our lives. Deal?"

"Deal," Olivia smiled, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss him.

* * *

_**Feedback and constructive criticism is always appreciated :)**_


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